List of governors of South Carolina

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The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the state of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch.

Governor of South Carolina
Incumbent
Henry McMaster

since January 24, 2017
StyleHis Excellency
ResidenceSouth Carolina Governor's Mansion
Term lengthFour years, renewable once consecutively; afterwards, the officeholder must sit out for one term before being eligible again
Inaugural holderJohn Rutledge (as State, 1776)
William Sayle (as Colony, 1670)
FormationConstitution of South Carolina
Salary$106,078 (2013)[1]
Websitewww.governor.sc.gov
Outer part of the governor's office in the South Carolina State House in Columbia

The governor is the ex officio commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal use. The governor's responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the South Carolina General Assembly, submitting an executive budget and ensuring that state laws are enforced.

Henry McMaster is the Governor of South Carolina since January 2017.

The only female governor in South Carolina is Nikki Haley.

This is a list of South Carolina governors.[2]

Colonial period (1670–1775)

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Statehood period (1776–present)

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Presidents under the Articles of Confederation

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The General Assembly chose the President for a term of two years.

Parties

  No party

# President Took Office Left Office Lt. Governor Party Notes
31 John Rutledge March 26, 1776 March 5, 1778 Henry Laurens No party 1st time, Resigned
32   Rawlins Lowndes March 6, 1778 January 9, 1779 James Parsons No party British prisoner
during Revolutionary War

Governors under the Articles of Confederation

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The General Assembly chose the Governor for a term of two years.

Parties

  No party

# Governor Took Office Left Office Lt. Governor Party Notes
John Rutledge January 9, 1779 January 31, 1782 Thomas Bee
Christopher Gadsden
No party 2nd time
33   John Mathews January 31, 1782 February 4, 1783 Richard Hutson No party
34   Benjamin Guerard February 4, 1783 February 11, 1785 Richard Beresford
William Moultrie
William Moultrie
No party
35   William Moultrie February 11, 1785 February 20, 1787 Charles Drayton No party 1st time
36   Thomas Pinckney February 20, 1787 January 26, 1789 Thomas Gadsden Federalist
37   Charles Pinckney January 26, 1789 December 5, 1792 Alexander Gillon Federalist 1st time

Governors under the Constitution of 1790

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The General Assembly chose the Governor for a term of two years.

Parties

  Democratic   Federalist   Democratic-Republican

# Governor Took Office Left Office Lt. Governor Party Notes
  William Moultrie December 5, 1792 December 17, 1794 James Ladson Federalist 2nd time
38   Arnoldus Vanderhorst December 17, 1794 December 8, 1796 Lewis Morris Federalist
  Charles Pinckney December 8, 1796 December 18, 1798 Robert Anderson Democratic-Republican 2nd time
39   Edward Rutledge December 18, 1798 January 23, 1800 John Drayton Federalist Died in office
40   John Drayton January 23, 1800 December 8, 1802 Richard Winn Democratic-Republican 1st time
41   James Burchill Richardson December 8, 1802 December 7, 1804 Ezekiel Pickens Democratic-Republican
42   Paul Hamilton December 7, 1804 December 9, 1806 Thomas Sumter, Jr. Democratic-Republican
  Charles Pinckney December 9, 1806 December 10, 1808 John Hopkins Democratic-Republican 3rd time
  John Drayton December 10, 1808 December 8, 1810 Frederick Nance Democratic-Republican 2nd time
43   Henry Middleton December 8, 1810 December 10, 1812 Samuel Farrow Democratic-Republican
44   Joseph Alston December 10, 1812 December 10, 1814 Eldred Simkins Democratic-Republican
45   David Rogerson Williams December 10, 1814 December 5, 1816 Robert Creswell Democratic-Republican
46   Andrew Pickens December 5, 1816 December 8, 1818 John A. Cuthbert Democratic-Republican
47   John Geddes December 8, 1818 December 7, 1820 William Youngblood Democratic-Republican
48   Thomas Bennett, Jr. December 7, 1820 December 7, 1822 William Pinckney Democratic-Republican
49   John Lyde Wilson December 7, 1822 December 3, 1824 Henry Bradley Democratic-Republican
50   Richard Irvine Manning I December 3, 1824 December 9, 1826 William Bull Democratic-Republican
51   John Taylor December 9, 1826 December 10, 1828 James Witherspoon Democratic-Republican
52   Stephen Decatur Miller December 10, 1828 December 9, 1830 Thomas Williams Democratic (Nullifier)
53   James Hamilton, Jr. December 9, 1830 December 10, 1832 Patrick Noble Democratic (Nullifier)
54   Robert Young Hayne December 10, 1832 December 9, 1834 Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Democratic (Nullifier)
55   George McDuffie December 9, 1834 December 10, 1836 Whitemarsh B. Seabrook Democratic
56   Pierce Mason Butler December 10, 1836 December 7, 1838 William DuBose Democratic
57   Patrick Noble December 7, 1838 April 7, 1840 Barnabas Kelet Henagan Democratic Died in office
58   Barnabas Kelet Henagan April 7, 1840 December 9, 1840 vacant Democratic Not elected
59   John Peter Richardson II December 9, 1840 December 8, 1842 William K. Clowney Democratic
60   James Henry Hammond December 8, 1842 December 7, 1844 Isaac D. Witherspoon Democratic
61   William Aiken, Jr. December 7, 1844 December 8, 1846 J.F. Ervin Democratic
62   David Johnson December 8, 1846 December 12, 1848 William Cain Democratic
63   Whitemarsh B. Seabrook December 12, 1848 December 13, 1850 William Henry Gist Democratic
64   John Hugh Means December 13, 1850 December 9, 1852 Joshua John Ward Democratic
65   John Lawrence Manning December 9, 1852 December 11, 1854 James Irby Democratic
66   James Hopkins Adams December 11, 1854 December 9, 1856 Richard de Treville Democratic
67   Robert F.W. Allston December 9, 1856 December 10, 1858 Gabriel Cannon Democratic
68   William Henry Gist December 10, 1858 December 14, 1860 M. E. Carn Democratic
69   Francis Wilkinson Pickens December 14, 1860 December 17, 1862 W.W. Harllee Democratic
70   Milledge Luke Bonham December 17, 1862 December 18, 1864 Plowden Weston Democratic
71   Andrew Gordon Magrath December 18, 1864 May 25, 1865 Robert McCaw Democratic Deposed by the Union Army
72   Benjamin Franklin Perry June 30, 1865 November 29, 1865 vacant Unionist Democrat Appointed by President Andrew Johnson

Governors under the Constitution of 1865

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First Constitution of South Carolina to provide for the direct election of the Governor.

Parties

  No party

# Governor Took Office Left Office Lt. Governor Party Notes
73   James Lawrence Orr November 29, 1865 July 6, 1868 W.D. Porter No party (Democratic) 1st popularly elected Governor

Governors under the Constitution of 1868

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Parties

  Democratic   Republican

# Governor Took Office Left Office Lt. Governor Party Notes
74   Robert Kingston Scott July 6, 1868 December 7, 1872 Lemuel Boozer
Alonzo J. Ransier
Republican
75   Franklin J. Moses, Jr. December 7, 1872 December 1, 1874 Richard Howell Gleaves Republican
76   Daniel Henry Chamberlain December 1, 1874 December 14, 1876 Richard Howell Gleaves Republican Claimed Governorship
after 1876 election
77   Wade Hampton III December 14, 1876 February 26, 1879 William Dunlap Simpson Democratic Resigned
78   William Dunlap Simpson February 26, 1879 September 1, 1880 John D. Kennedy Democratic Not elected
79   Thomas Bothwell Jeter September 1, 1880 November 30, 1880 vacant Democratic
80   Johnson Hagood November 30, 1880 December 1, 1882 John D. Kennedy Democratic
81   Hugh Smith Thompson December 1, 1882 July 10, 1886 John Calhoun Sheppard Democratic Resigned
82   John Calhoun Sheppard July 10, 1886 November 30, 1886 vacant Democratic Not elected
83   John Peter Richardson III November 30, 1886 December 4, 1890 William Mauldin Democratic
84   Benjamin Ryan Tillman December 4, 1890 December 4, 1894 Eugene Gary
W.H. Timmerman
Democratic
85   John Gary Evans December 4, 1894 January 18, 1897 W.H. Timmerman Democratic

Governors under the Constitution of 1895

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Parties

  Democratic (27)   Republican (6)

# Governor Took Office Left Office Lt. Governor Party Notes
86   William Haselden Ellerbe January 18, 1897 June 2, 1899 Miles Benjamin McSweeney Democratic Died in office
87   Miles Benjamin McSweeney June 2, 1899 January 20, 1903 Robert B. Scarborough Democratic
88   Duncan Clinch Heyward January 20, 1903 January 15, 1907 James Tillman
John Sloan
Democratic
89   Martin Frederick Ansel January 15, 1907 January 17, 1911 Thomas Gordon McLeod Democratic
90   Coleman Livingston Blease January 17, 1911 January 14, 1915 Charles Aurelius Smith Democratic Resigned
91   Charles Aurelius Smith January 14, 1915 January 19, 1915 vacant Democratic Not elected
92   Richard Irvine Manning III January 19, 1915 January 21, 1919 Andrew Bethea Democratic
93   Robert Archer Cooper January 21, 1919 May 20, 1922 J.T. Liles
Wilson Godfrey Harvey
Democratic Resigned
94   Wilson Godfrey Harvey May 20, 1922 January 16, 1923 vacant Democratic Not elected
95   Thomas Gordon McLeod January 16, 1923 January 18, 1927 E.B. Jackson Democratic
96   John Gardiner Richards, Jr. January 18, 1927 January 20, 1931 Thomas Bothwell Butler Democratic 1st to be elected to a four-year term
97   Ibra Charles Blackwood January 20, 1931 January 15, 1935 James Sheppard Democratic
98   Olin D. Johnston January 15, 1935 January 17, 1939 Joseph Emile Harley Democratic 1st time
99   Burnet R. Maybank January 17, 1939 November 4, 1941 Joseph Emile Harley Democratic Resigned
100   Joseph Emile Harley November 4, 1941 February 27, 1942 vacant Democratic Not elected, Died in office
101   Richard Manning Jefferies February 27, 1942 January 19, 1943 vacant Democratic Not elected
98   Olin D. Johnston January 19, 1943 January 2, 1945 Ransome Judson Williams Democratic 2nd time, Resigned
102   Ransome Judson Williams January 2, 1945 January 21, 1947 vacant Democratic Not elected
103   Strom Thurmond January 21, 1947 January 16, 1951 George Bell Timmerman, Jr. Democratic
104   James Francis Byrnes January 16, 1951 January 18, 1955 George Bell Timmerman, Jr. Democratic
105   George Bell Timmerman, Jr. January 18, 1955 January 20, 1959 Ernest Hollings Democratic
106   Ernest Hollings January 20, 1959 January 15, 1963 Burnet R. Maybank Jr. Democratic
107   Donald Stuart Russell January 15, 1963 April 22, 1965 Robert Evander McNair Democratic Resigned
108   Robert Evander McNair April 22, 1965 January 19, 1971 vacant
John C. West
Democratic
109   John C. West January 19, 1971 January 21, 1975 Earle Morris, Jr. Democratic
110   James B. Edwards January 21, 1975 January 10, 1979 W. Brantley Harvey, Jr. Republican
111   Richard Riley January 10, 1979 January 14, 1987 Nancy Stevenson
Michael R. Daniel
Democratic 1st elected to two consecutive four-year terms
112   Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. January 14, 1987 January 11, 1995 Nick Theodore (Democratic) Republican
113   David Beasley January 11, 1995 January 13, 1999 Bob Peeler Republican
114   Jim Hodges January 13, 1999 January 15, 2003 Bob Peeler Democratic
115   Mark Sanford January 15, 2003 January 12, 2011 André Bauer Republican
116   Nikki Haley January 12, 2011 January 24, 2017 Ken Ard
Glenn F. McConnell
J. Yancey McGill (Democratic)
Henry McMaster
Republican Resigned to become UN Ambassador
117   Henry McMaster January 24, 2017 Incumbent Kevin L. Bryant Republican
Number of Governors by Party
Colonial Governors 30
No party 6
Federalist 4
Democratic-Republican 13
Democratic 55
Republican 9

Other high offices held

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This is a table of congressional seats, other federal offices, other governorships, and other high offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented South Carolina except where noted. *denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Governor Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held
House Senate
John Rutledge 1776–1778
1779–1782
Delegate to Philadelphia Convention and signer of the United States Constitution; Associate and Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Thomas Pinckney 1787–1789 H United States Minister to Great Britain
Charles Pinckney 1789–1792
1796–1798
1806–1808
H S Delegate to Philadelphia Convention and signer of the United States Constitution; United States Minister to Spain
Paul Hamilton 1804–1806 United States Secretary of the Navy
Henry Middleton 1810–1812 H United States Minister to Russia
David Rogerson Williams 1814–1816 H
Richard Irvine Manning I 1824–1826 H
John Taylor 1826–1828 H S
Stephen Decatur Miller 1828–1830 H S
James Hamilton, Jr. 1830–1832 H
Robert Y. Hayne 1832–1834 S
George McDuffie 1834–1836 H S
John Peter Richardson II 1840–1842 H
James Henry Hammond 1842–1844 H S
William Aiken, Jr. 1844–1846 H
Francis Wilkinson Pickens 1860–1862 H United States Minister to Russia
Milledge Luke Bonham 1862–1864 H Confederate Representative
James Lawrence Orr 1865–1868 H Confederate Senator; United States Minister to Russia; Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Wade Hampton III 1877–1879 S* United States Railroad Commissioner
William Dunlap Simpson 1879–1880 Confederate Representative
Hugh Smith Thompson 1882–1886 United States Assistant Secretary of the Treasury*; United States Civil Service Commissioner
Benjamin Tillman 1890–1894 S
Coleman Livingston Blease 1911–1915 S
Olin D. Johnston 1935–1939
1943–1945
S*
Burnet R. Maybank 1939–1941 S*
Strom Thurmond 1947–1951 S
James F. Byrnes 1951–1955 H S Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court; United States Secretary of State
Ernest Hollings 1959–1963 S United States Senate 1966-2005
Donald S. Russell 1963–1965 S*
John C. West 1971–1975 United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
James B. Edwards 1975–1979 United States Secretary of Energy
Richard Riley 1979–1987 United States Secretary of Education
Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. 1987–1995 H
David Beasley 1995-1999 Executive Director of the World Food Programme [3]
Mark Sanford 2003–2011 H
Nikki Haley 2011–2017 United States Ambassador to the United Nations*

Living former U.S. governors of South Carolina

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As of January 2017, there are six former U.S. governors of South Carolina who are currently living at this time, the oldest U.S. governor of South Carolina being Ernest "Fritz" Hollings (served 1959–1963, born 1922). The most recent U.S. governor of South Carolina to die was James Burrows Edwards (served 1975–1979, born 1927), on December 26, 2014.[4] The most recently serving governor to die was Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. (served 1987–1995, born 1940) on December 7, 2005.

Governor Party Gubernatorial term Birth
Ernest "Fritz" Hollings Democratic 1959–1963 (1922-01-01) January 1, 1922 (age 102)
Richard Riley Democratic 1979–1987 (1933-01-02) January 2, 1933 (age 91)
David Beasley Republican 1995–1999 (1957-02-26) February 26, 1957 (age 67)
Jim Hodges Democratic 1999–2003 (1956-11-19) November 19, 1956 (age 67)
Mark Sanford Republican 2003–2011 (1960-05-28) May 28, 1960 (age 64)
Nikki Haley Republican 2011–2017 (1972-01-20) January 20, 1972 (age 52)
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References

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  1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. "South Carolina Governors". SCIWAY. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  3. "Executive Director". Archived from the original on 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
  4. "Former Gov. James Edwards dies at 87". wistv.com. WCSC and WIS. Retrieved March 7, 2015.